Morning pleasant. Office, nothing new. Mr. Hallett does not seem to be disposed to notice my Articles at all. What has got into him? Is it not part of the double faced system he has always been pursuing 347towards me? He likes my aid without my company. Well, I must do as well as I can and neglect trifles. I must rest upon my ability to help them and overlook all little intended discouragements.

My time was taken up in Accounts, attending a brief meeting of Middlesex Canal Directors and writing a letter to Mr. Johnson about his funds,1 and thus the time all escaped. Walk. Home, Livy, finished the fifth book and began the sixth. Afternoon, Niebuhr who is insufferably dry and de la Motte Fouqué. Copied and sent the letter to Mr. Johnson. Evening quietly at home, reading to my Wife Madame Junot. Afterwards, so drowsy that I retired early.

Morning pleasant. There is a regular thaw every day now, but the amount of snow is so great and it is frozen down so solid as to make hardly any impression. I went to the Office where I was busy in writing Diary and in Accounts as usual. Nothing of importance.

I called to see Mr. Hallett and found him in—Conversation about the present state of political affairs. There is a meeting called to night of the Antimasonic members of the Legislature to act upon the Electoral ticket selected by the democratic party. This ticket was pushed through in somewhat of a hurry in order to save the charge that it had been dictated by the Antimasons. But this very act has irritated the leading members of the Committee and rendered them indisposed to taking up the ticket. And at the same time, Dr. Phelps with the Faneuil Hall Committee protest against the whole subject being mooted at this time. I talked with Mr. Hallett, and pressed him very earnestly to go on at the present crisis. He seemed so disposed, but I resolved to attend the Meeting myself, which he asked of me. I passed the afternoon in methodizing my thoughts although I did not strive to fix them definitely to words. Read a little German.

Evening, I went to the Meeting. There were present, I should think about sixty persons. J. B. Turner Senator of Plymouth co. was made Chairman. Henry Williams and B. F. Hallett, Secretaries. Mr. Hallett, at the request of Mr. Thomas who was perfectly neutralized, explained the state of the case and moved, in order to test the sense of the meeting, that it is expedient to nominate Electors at the present Session of the General Court. Dr. Phelps then came out in opposition. He is no speaker, but with the aid of the printed protest I thought he did well enough. G. Gibson, a man of no weight though somewhat of a 348busy body answered him, and was of essential service in unmasking the whole of the loco-foco intrigue which hardly any one else could have done so safely. Then came a pause in which Mr. Hallett suggested to me that it was advisable for me to speak. I made the attempt and got through on the whole very well. My speech bore evidence of want of care which perhaps did not hurt it. I was applauded once or twice, and sat down glad to get through at all. Mr. Hallett then concluded with much address and moderation. Mr. Pope a Senator from Middlesex then moved to adopt the Ticket proposed, at once. And it was carried, only two in the negative. Mr. Thomas said he was not pleased with the manner of doing this thing but should waive his objection in action. Mr. Whitney dissented from the particular nomination in his District S. C. Allen and therefore voted against the Ticket not choosing to pledge himself to it. Mr. Wakefield a representative from Reading had got stuck upon Col. Johnson and could not vote for the ticket although if adopted he would try to support it.

Dr. Phelps left the meeting in anger. He has been made the cat’s paw of this miserable faction here in Boston who have attempted to control all the operations of our party for the sake of using us as an Engine against the other faction in the Custom House. His secession as well as that of the whole party will be no loss to the cause, although it will not come to that. He is an obnoxious person.

The meeting then broke up and thus is completed for good or for evil the whole of this business. That we have got so far, is to me very astonishing—For the difficulties have been truly great. Home where I passed an hour in idle reflection.